A Rock and a Hard Place
by Center of the Galaxy
Summary: "'It's very simple, Hook.' The Wicked Witch began with a smirk. 'You either kiss Emma and take her magic or she sleeps for all of eternity.' She placed a cold hand on Killian's shoulder. 'Your choice.'" *post 3x17, Captain Swan*
1. Hiding

_**Author's Note:**__ Hi! I'm new to this fandom and this is my first story for this wonderful show. Please forgive me if anyone seems out of character. Spoilers for 3x17 and slight AU for the episodes that follow it. I hope you will enjoy!_

* * *

"_She taught me all about real sacrifice. That it should be done from love."_

—_Veronica Roth_

* * *

_"I swear on Emma Swan." _

It haunts his dreams. The sinister way Ariel's lips turned upwards after his confession, the green smoke that filled the air, the way his lips burned after the curse was placed on him. He'd been tricked and now, he's a danger to her.

"_Kiss the Savior_. _Steal her magic."_

He's been avoiding Emma ever since. Keeping the distance as far as he can between them because he can't risk hurting her, can't take the chance that he would be her undoing. It kills him a little bit every time he leaves her side, her eyes wide and mixed with concern and hurt. He'd vowed to steal her heart and now, he has to abandon it.

He wants to scream up at the sky for the way fate has treated him. Maybe he is the villain after all and if that's the case, he doesn't deserve a happy ending. But he had hoped—

"Killian?"

Henry taps his shoulder and Hook nearly jumps, then curses himself for being so lost in thought that he couldn't hear the boy's footsteps. The pier always has a calming effect on him, being so close to the waves and the salty air. It's like if he closed his eyes, he can pretend that he's back on the sea with Emma safe here.

"Aye, lad?" His own voice is tired and rough around the edges. He hasn't been sleeping well as of late and he can't seem to get his mind to quiet even when preoccupied with other things.

Henry shifts his weight from side to side, almost uneasily.

"It's . . ." He hesitates, somewhat unsure. "It's my mom."

At that, Killian immediately stiffens. Facing the boy, he schools his expression and tries to keep the worry from bubbling over into full-blown panic.

"What about your mom?" If Zelena has touched one hair on her head, Hook will run her through. He will surrender to the darkness within him and enjoy torturing her, making her die slowly and ever so painfully—

"She's stress baking." Henry mutters quickly, frowning. "And normally, it wouldn't be a big deal, but she's already got three batches of chocolate chip cookies, two apple pies and when I left, she was working on cherry cobbler." The boy meets his gaze, hopeful. "Could you go talk to her?"

"Me?" He echoes.

"Yeah." Emma's son beams. "You make her smile and I'm sure you could calm her down."

It's such a simple statement, told frankly by a young teen, but it brings an unashamed grin to Hook's lips. It's true, he cares for Emma and he's grown fond of Henry as well, but he knows that as long as Zelena's curse is upon him, he can't do anything.

He can't risk Emma's safety.

"I'm a bit busy now," He lies, easily and Henry's expression grows dejected. "Sorry, lad."

"Why are you avoiding her?" Henry questions.

"I'm not—" He protests, but Emma's son is not going to take any more of his lies.

"The other day when we were at the diner, you saw Mom and practically ran the other direction from her." Henry folds his arms across his chest, clearly unhappy with Hook. "Why? Don't you like her anymore?"

"It's complicated."

"It's not."

"You wouldn't understand—!" He protests, voice rising in anger. Seeing the boy's startled expression, he grimaces. "Sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you."

"Just . . . talk to her?" Henry asks softly. "Please?"

He wants to. He wants nothing more than to show up at her door and take her in his arms and hold her like there would be no tomorrow. He wants to kiss her, to comfort her, to tease her, to be there with her, always and forever but—

He can't.

He can't risk her.

"Go on home now, Henry." He orders gruffly.

"But Killian—"

"Please." There must be something in his voice that causes the child to relent for he simply nods his head before disappearing around the corner.

This is for the best, he tells himself.

Liar, his heart retorts.

* * *

"Mom?"

Emma hits the dough, kneading it viciously. Thank God for baking because without it, she'd probably go crazy with all the anxiety and anger mixed up within her. With each thrust of her hand into the dough, she lets out some of her tension over the upcoming battle with Zelena and with the stress of having to keep Henry in the dark and then there's the whole matter with Killian—

"Mom!" A cool hand yanks on her wrist.

"What?" She asks, slightly breathless as she meets Henry's concerned expression. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." He replies dryly. "But your pie crust is a bit worse for wear."

She glances down, sees all the pieces of dough littering the floor as well as the counter. She huffs out a laugh and tries to shoot her son an easy smile.

"Whoops." She mutters softly.

"Mom, I really don't think we need another pie anyways." Henry states quietly, pointing to the other three lined up on the counter. "Why don't you just go talk to him?"

"Because he just walks away!" She snaps before even thinking. Henry grins triumphantly, but Emma quickly shakes her head. "No. We are not having this conversation, okay?"

"What conversation?" Her son questions, too innocently.

"You know what I'm talking about." Emma mutters, tossing the pie dough into the trash.

"Oh, about Killian, you mean?" Henry continues, seemingly oblivious to his mother's very clear warnings about this subject. "Look, Mom, you just need to go see him—!"

"Henry, please stop." Emma practically growls, the frustration boiling up and consuming her. She's wanted to see him, wanted to talk to him, but whenever she got close, he would make up some excuse and leave. Did he dislike her now? Had she screwed up their relationship—what exactly was their relationship, again?—and had he finally decided he had enough?

"You really like him, don't you?" Henry comes up to her side and wraps his arms around her waist, holding her securely. She grins slightly and ruffles his hair ever so slightly.

"Yeah, kiddo." She mumbles. "I guess I do."

She loves Killian Jones.

She just doesn't know what to do with that information now.

* * *

"Emma, thank you." The blonde smiles softly, slightly embarrassed as she hands her mother yet another pie. Standing in the middle of their small house, she watches as her mother places the baked good onto her small coffee table. Snow's eyes then lock onto her daughter's and her expression grows slightly concerned. She shares a look with her husband who then nods his head.

"You're on a baking kick?" David questions, a small grin alighting on his lips. "Is there something wrong?"

"Wrong?" Emma echoes, gaze darting down to the floor.

"Because Henry tells us you've baked a lot of things today." Snow informs her.

"I like to bake." She replies frankly, almost defensively.

"Enough to practically feed the whole town?" Her father means it teasingly, but she knows they are concerned. She wants to confide in them, but it's hard for her. She's never been good at being open with her feelings, even with herself. Though she knows they will listen and they might even understand, she just can't.

"I'm fine." She assures them, fake grin in place.

She's a liar.

* * *

Zelena sees her from afar.

The precious savior, the perfect princess, beloved Emma—the one person standing in her way. Cars rumble by and people brush past her, but the wicked witch simply smirks. No one will catch her; her magic is too strong. No, it would appear that they were in a stalemate. Until Emma lost her magic or Zelena slipped, they would continue to circle each other, unable to defeat each other.

It's time to change that.

With a wave of her hand, a ruby red apple appears.

"Showtime."

And in a puff of green smoke, the witch is gone.

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_**Author's Note: **__Please review if you have a moment. Next chapter will be up soon. Thanks! _


	2. Apple

_**Author's Note:**__ Anyone else missing the show yet? Cause I am. Well, thank goodness for fan fiction! Please enjoy this chapter!_

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"_You can sacrifice and not love. But you cannot love and not sacrifice." _

― _Kris Vallotton_

* * *

"What's with you?"

"Emma." He sighs softly, running a hand through his hair. He hears her boot crunching on the gravel as she comes closer to him, but he refuses to turn around. His eyes remain locked on the water, on the comforting sound of the waves hitting the dock.

"Killian." Her hand touches his shoulder and he does his best not to flinch. He jerks out of her grasp and meets her horrified gaze. "Why?" There are a million different answers that run through his head from half-truths to lies to all manners of excuses in between. But staring into her eyes, he finds that he can't form an answer. He knows he won't be able to lie to her, but his heart won't let him tell her the truth.

"It's nothing, love." His voice is barely above a whisper, but from the way Emma flinches, it might as well been as loud as a gunshot. He sighs softly, and then looks away. "You'd best be going now."

"I thought we . . ." Unshed tears glisten in her eyes and he suppresses the urge to reach out and hold her. "I thought we were okay."

"We are." He assures her because curse or not, it's killing him to see her like this. "Emma, I'm not upset with you, lass."

"You've been avoiding me." She states frankly, a bit of the fire reigniting in her eyes. There she is—the fiery girl he fell in love with, the one who wouldn't take any crap from anyone. "Why?"

"A story for another time." He dismisses vaguely. "I have to go." He turns to leave.

"Killian, stop." Her warm hand catches his and she prevents him from moving away. Her eyes seem to pierce him, see through his lies and his defenses and he wants nothing more in that moment than to admit the truth, to scream from the top of his lungs that he's been cursed and that Emma has to stay away from him. "What are you not telling me?" Her hand feels heavenly in his, so wonderfully warm and it reminds him of what he's been missing for most of his life—love. Someone to be by his side through thick and thin. He could have it with Emma, he knows.

Just not now.

Not until he was safe. He wouldn't risk her life or her family's lives.

"Nothing, Swan." He lies through his teeth. "I just don't think it's such a good idea for the two of us to continue this."

"This?" She echoes, disbelieving. "What are you saying?"

"I'm a pirate, Miss Swan," He states, allowing himself to drown in that persona. "I steal what I want and then leave." He leans in close so that their noses are almost touching. "And now, I'm leaving you."

It's the lowest blow he could possibly strike with her abandonment issues, but it's the only surefire way to get her to go and not return anytime soon.

"I see." She murmurs, voice cracking somewhat.

In that moment, he can see the resignation in her eyes and the walls go back up. A bittersweet smile alights on her lips and it breaks his heart to see her hurting like this, to see her tell herself that she was never meant to be with someone, that her fate is to always be alone. He wants to assure her that he does love her, that she deserves happiness and he would be by her side if it were safe to.

"I'll see you around, Hook." She waves half-heartedly and he watches her go.

And as she vanishes around the bend, he feels his heart splinter into a million tiny pieces.

* * *

"More pies, Mom?"

Emma chuckles dryly as she continues to roll her dough out. The repeated motion of the rolling pin soothes her though and it's not like she even eats all of these desserts. She hands them out to people in the town and okay, maybe she does eat more than her fair share while in the process of making them, but hey, she's entitled to do so, isn't she?

Henry comes to stand by her and picks up a piece of her dough and pops it into his mouth. He smiles at the taste of it and then places a hand on his mother's shoulder.

"I figured we could give some more out and—"

"Make everyone fall into a sugar coma?" Her son replies dryly.

"Ah, you got me." She jokes, though her heart isn't really in it. She sighs as she places the rolling pin aside and meets the concerned gaze of her son.

"Is it Killian?" He asks softly. "Are you two in a fight?" It's such a childlike question and Emma wants to tell him the truth, but she can't. With Zelena still out there planning who knew what, the best choice was for Henry to stay in the dark. As far as he knew, Killian was just a friend of the family who knew his father.

"No." She lies.

"It'll be okay, Mom." He assures her, wrapping his arms around her waist and hugging her securely. "You'll see. You just have to have faith."

She holds him tightly because he's right and she wants to believe in Killian, wants to believe that her fate is something more than being abandoned and left to fend for herself. She has a family here and perhaps even a chance at love. She just needs to fight for it.

"You're right, Henry." She presses a kiss to the top of his head, feeling somewhat happier and lighter than before. "Hey, you want to help me make some cookies?"

"Only if you eat something healthy first." He informs her with a sly grin.

"Healthy?" She echoes, placing a hand on her hip and tilting her head to the side in confusion. "Like what?"

"Like an apple." From his coat pocket, he pulls out an apple as red as blood that shines like sunlight reflecting off glass. It's so beautiful and Emma thinks that she has never seen apple so perfect like before in her life. Henry holds it out to her and she grabs it, feeling how smooth the skin is. She wants nothing more than to bite into it, but something in the back of her head is warning her against that. "You'll eat it, won't you?"

"I . . ." She hesitates, but for what reason, she doesn't know. "Of course, I will." She doesn't move though.

"C'mon, Mom." Henry urges. "Quit stalling." He picks up the rolling pin and grins at her. "We've got to get started."

"Right." She nods her head, pushing those worried feelings away as she bites into the juicy apple.

Her eyes immediately widen and she realizes too late what's happened.

She feels herself falling and then, there's nothing.

Darkness.

* * *

"What the hell did you say to my daughter?"

"And hello to you too, mate." Hook greets, mustering up fake enthusiasm. He actually expected this visit.

"I warned you that if you hurt her—"

"I remember your warning, mate." Hook tells him.

"Yet, surprise, surprise, you decide to hurt her anyways!"

"Listen, I can—"

But, it's clear that Emma's father isn't in the mood to listen to excuses. David storms towards him, fist outstretched and Hook braces himself only for a scream to fill the air. The two men freeze, their confrontation momentarily forgotten as they immediately move towards the place where the sound originated.

"Henry!" David sees the boy first, standing numbly on the streets. The boy's eyes are red rimmed from what seems like crying and dread settles in the pit of Hook's stomach. Upon seeing his grandfather, Emma's son begins to sob, throwing his arms around the bewildered man.

"What is it, lad?" Hook questions urgently. "Are you hurt?"

"I found her." Henry manages to say between the crying. "Mom. She—"

His body reacts before his mind. Hook sprints inside and towards the apartment the boy and his mother share and through the slightly opened door, he hears Snow's soft sobs and suddenly, a wave of pain runs through him.

This couldn't be happening.

"Emma?" He breathes, pushing the door open and entering the room. "No."

There she is, in her mother's arms, still and so very pale. She's not breathing, he notes dimly, and the realization sinks in.

"Hook?" Snow questions as he kneels down beside the fallen savior and he lets out a ragged breath, his vision blurring with tears as he grabs her cool hand within his own.

"Swan?" He wants her to open her eyes, to make a joke at his expense, to yell at him. He doesn't even care as long as she wakes up. "Emma, please." He feels a tear snake down his cheek but he doesn't bother to wipe it away for another would be in its place immediately afterwards.

"Emma?" David is there now, by his wife's side and the expression on his face is like one of a man who has lost everything and has no will to go on. His daughter, the one he lost so many years ago only to reappear is now lost to them once more. He gently pushes some of her hair back and tucks it behind her ear.

"Henry?" Snow manages to ask.

"Ruby has him." David replies, voice grave and mournful.

"She can't be dead." Hook mutters. "Zelena couldn't have killed her. Emma was too strong. There's no way—" He doesn't want to believe that she's dead, that he's now lost two women that he's loved more than life itself. If Emma is gone, then there's nothing left for him. He will become a shadow of his former self until he slowly fades from existence.

It's Emma—always been Emma—that's pulled him back from that dark abyss and if she was gone—

"I found this." Henry's at the doorway and they can hear Ruby heading up after him. The boy holds out an apple with one perfect bite taken out of it and the pieces click into place.

"Is that—?" Snow breathes and immediately Hook rises from his spot. Casting one more glance at Emma he heads out the door.

He has a witch to visit.

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_**Author's Note: **__Two more chapters to go! Please review if you have a moment. Thanks! _


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